2025 MCEC Global Training Summit Tools of the Trade: Technology’s Impact on Education

Emily Barton

Emily Barton has been part of MCEC since 2018. As a master parent educator, a member of the webinar team, trainer, and the community coordinator for San Antonio, TX, Emily works to support military families, empower parents, and foster meaningful connections within the community. She understands the unique challenges military families face and is dedicated to strengthening them.

Originally from Macon, Georgia, Emily has been an active-duty Air Force spouse for 25 years. She and her husband Chip have two military-connected children. Their daughter is 21 and a senior in college and their son is 19 and a sophomore in college.

Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Washington and Lee University and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. She enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Mary Bier, MBA

Mary Bier, MBA, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC). A seasoned leader with more than 20 years of experience in business strategy, organizational leadership, and community engagement, she brings a dynamic vision to MCEC’s mission of ensuring every military-connected child has access to quality educational opportunities. 

As a military spouse and parent, Bier has firsthand insight into the unique challenges and strengths of military families. This lived experience fuels her passion for advocating for military-connected students, ensuring they receive the educational support and opportunities they deserve. 

Bier’s professional background spans both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, where she has successfully led high-impact initiatives, built collaborative partnerships, and served as a subject matter expert on veteran and military family issues. She has been invited to the White House to share insights on military-connected programs, testified before the New York City Department of Veteran Affairs, and facilitated expert panels on military family well-being. 

Prior to joining MCEC, Bier held leadership roles in business strategy, customer success, and military initiatives, where she was instrumental in scaling operations, optimizing talent development, and fostering inclusive organizational cultures. Her ability to translate strategic goals into actionable outcomes has driven mission impact across multiple organizations. 

At MCEC, Bier is committed to expanding the organization’s reach, deepening partnerships, and championing the needs of military-connected children. Under her leadership, MCEC will continue to be a trusted resource for families, educators, and policymakers dedicated to supporting military students on their educational journey. 

Bier holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on Management and Organizational Behavior and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from California Lutheran University. 

She resides with her family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Robert Gonzalez

Robert Gonzalez joined Nimitz Middle School in San Antonio, Texas, in 2016. A proud graduate and post-graduate of Wayland Baptist University, he brings a wealth of experience from his 22-year career as a United States Navy officer. Fittingly, his final tour of duty was aboard the USS Nimitz — a meaningful connection to the school where he now serves.

In 2016, he launched the Junior Cadet Program, which has grown to include 300 students, 10 classes, and two full-time teachers. Over the past decade, the program has become one of the school’s most respected and beneficial electives, offering students a strong foundation in leadership, discipline, and service.

In 2020, Mr. Gonzalez introduced the Student 2 Student (S2S) program to Nimitz. The program quickly gained recognition, earning a finalist position for S2S Middle School of the Year in its inaugural year. In 2021, Nimitz achieved the top honor, being named Middle School of the Year. The school has continued its excellence, earning finalist status every year since. Mr. Gonzalez and his team take great pride in their work with the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) and the S2S program.

Beyond the classroom, Mr. Gonzalez is passionate about travel, having visited all 50 U.S. states and numerous countries around the world. He is also a strong advocate for fitness and nutrition, embracing both as lifelong commitments.

Missy Holstead

Missy joined the MCEC team in 2020.  Originally from Ohio, she is a graduate of Texas A&M University. Missy has worked in the private, government, education sectors and has held numerous volunteer roles. 

She is a military spouse to her active-duty Soldier for over twenty years and currently resides in Rhode Island. They have three children ranging in ages from 10–16 years of age. 

As a mother, Missy has grown, found inspiration, motivation and purpose with her military-connected children.  In her spare time, she loves to bike ride, run, swim and read books.

Gabby L’Esperance, PhD

Dr. Gabby L’Esperance is a dedicated qualitative researcher and program evaluator with a commitment to amplifying the voices of diverse communities through narrative-based research. In her role as director of insights, Dr. L’Esperance harnesses the power of qualitative methodology to uncover profound insights into the lived experiences of military and veteran families.

Through Gabby’s leadership and emphasis on the value of qualitative methods in understanding military life, MFAN continues to shine a light on the support military families need most and evaluate the programs built to support them. These research and program evaluation findings have been used as a basis for convening stakeholders, developing programs, and invoking positive change for service members, veterans, and their families.

Gabby is a subject matter expert on military and veteran family research methods, military family well-being, food insecurity, whole health care needs, military family financial readiness, program evaluation, and more. She regularly shares research findings and thought leadership to varying audiences including, but not limited to, higher education, military and veteran family stakeholders, government leadership, and funding partners.

Dr. L’Esperance earned her doctorate in public administration from University of Nebraska at Omaha, specializing in nonprofit management and qualitative research. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from James Madison University. Gabby lives in Omaha with her husband and two dogs, where she continues to teach nonprofit management courses at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Gabby is an instructor at UNO, where she teaches courses on nonprofit management.